Government misusing power to Block Video of Teacher Inciting Violence Against Muslim Student, alleges Congress

New Delhi, August 26, 2023: The Congress party alleged on Saturday that the government issued emergency orders to social media platform Twitter (now called X) to block a viral video from Neha Public School in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. In the video, a teacher named Tripta Tyagi can be seen encouraging Hindu students to slap a Muslim child. The government also reportedly issued additional orders to block various URLs and hashtags related to demanding the teacher’s arrest.

The incident sparked outrage on social media, drawing condemnation from public figures and prompting discussions on the platform about the safety of students in educational institutions. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate expressed concern about the government’s actions, stating, “Gagging the net is not the solution – introspect on how a teacher is so vile and full of bigotry that she singles out a boy for his religion and gets his own classmates to slap him.”

The video’s contents took an unexpected turn when Tripta Tyagi claimed she is handicapped and that she asked a classmate to confront the Muslim student due to her physical limitations. In the video, Tyagi made controversial remarks that seemingly encouraged violence against the Muslim child. The incident raised questions about the safety of students belonging to minority communities and their treatment within the education system.

Shrinate also criticized Tyagi’s response and called for stricter actions against the teacher, saying, “This woman needs to be jailed and face the law of the land.” The Congress leader emphasized the importance of maintaining trust between parents, schools, and teachers while addressing such incidents.

The video incident underscores the broader challenges surrounding hate speech and discrimination within educational institutions and their impact on students. The Congress’s claims about the government’s intervention highlight the ongoing discussions around freedom of speech and online content regulation in India.

The government’s reported involvement in blocking the video and related content raises questions about the balance between ensuring accountability and safeguarding free expression on digital platforms.